Kiss It Better, Balthier
by AzureKate
Summary: Vaan is going to meet Balthier one night when he is shot and killed, and Balthier doesn't know if he can take it, feeling guilty for leaving to meet Vaan late. Balthier x Vaan


**A/N: my god this is so cheesy XD but I kinda-sorta like how it turned out….a bit.**

**Sorry I haven't updated in 723894728935 years. But I'm goin through a FFXII phase…and Balthier and Vaan are my victims…**

**I've never written a guyxguy before. Sorry if it totally sucks.**

**Also, I made a video to go with it, with the song Kiss it Better by He is We .com/watch?v=SzuBSKyr-KA enjjooyyyyy**

Kiss it Better, Balthier

{Balthier x Vaan}

AzureKate

Vaan walked along the streets of Rabanastre, his hands behind his head. He was on his way to the bridge to meet Balthier. Every so often someone he knoew would call out him as he walked by; he would wave and continue on.

After so long it grew dark out, and most people had gone home. Vaan was nearing the bridge and he was getting excited, ready to see Balthier again. Suddenly he heard something behind him. He turned to look; watching for any movement, he hears sobbing coming from behind a nearby building. Vaan watched for a moment, and, after so long, a blond man walking into sight. Vaan recognized him from various encounters in the past. The man was the one crying, and in his hand was a gun not too different that Balthier's.

The man finally saw Vaan, and turned toward him. His eyes were wild and anger was radiating from his body. Vaan cautiously took a step back.

"Are you okay?" he asked. He looked as the man's hand twitched and he clutched the gun tighter. A wave of fear overwhelming him, Vaan turned and ran. He ran for he bridge, praying that Balthier would be there waiting for him. He glanced back and, surely enough and to his horror, the man was following.

Vaan finally ran through the gate onto the bridge. He ran out halfway, his heart sinking when Balthier wasn't there. He heard footsteps behind him, and turned around. The man was standing there at the end of the bridge, his gun raised right at Vaan. Vaan gasped, and the man pulled the trigger.

The last thing Vaan saw was Balthier.

"All right, Fran, I'll see you tomorrow," Balthier said, nodding to the viera.

"Better hurry. You're late," she replied. Balthier nodded and hurried from the aerodrome. He hurried through the city, well aware of his tardiness. He slowed as he neared the gate leading out to the bridge where surely Vaan would be waiting, with his 'you're late again!' face. Balthier smiled at the thought and chuckled to himself, walking up to the gate. He headed through and onto the bridge.

He turned and froze.

Vaan was lying on the ground, blood leaking freely onto the stone around him. Standing over him was a blond man, holding a gun in his shuddering hand. Balthier finally managed to take a shaky breath. The man heard and turned, a look of shock on his face. He dropped the gun and ran from the bridge, disappearing into the city. Balthier forced himself forward toward Vaan. He held on to a small hope that Vaan was still alive. He finally reached him and knelt down beside him, taking Vaan's hand.

"Vaan?" he asked. Vaan didn't respond. Balthier squeezed his hand, praying for any sort of movement, but none ever came. Vaan was gone. A tear slid down Balthier's cheek as he leaned down and kissed him. "This is my fault…"

His eyes drifted to the gun on the ground beside Vaan. An overwhelming rage took him over, and his hands began to shake with anger. He looked down at Vaan one final time, wishing he could see him smile. But that smile never came.

Balthier took a deep breath, more tears escaping, and snatched the gun from the stone ground. He jumped up and took off running in the direction the man had gone. He ran along the streets of the city, turning around buildings and going the only way the man could have gone. And soon enough, the blond man came into sight. He was on his knees shaking and staring at his hands, as though he couldn't believe what he had done. Balthier felt sick just looking at the man; was he putting on an innocent act? The man noticed his presence quickly and looked at him. As he started to stand up, Balthier raised the gun.

"How could you do this?" he cried. The man held up his hands defensively.

"Please wait. I didn't know…"

"You didn't know what? That you were killing an innocent soul by aiming a gun and pulling the trigger?"

"I don't know what happened to me. I couldn't think straight."

"Your damn excuse isn't good enough."

Balthier pulled the trigger. The man fell to the ground, clutching his chest in pain. He groaned and rolled onto his side as Balthier walked over, looking down at him. "You killed the most innocent man in Rabanastre. Die now or I'll be back for you, and next time I won't make it so easy on you."

He threw the gun on the ground beside him and turned away, starting back for the bridge. He went back to Vaan's body and knelt beside him. He pulled him onto his lap and hugged him, sitting against the side of the bridge. After so long, a group of imperials ran toward him, armed and ready to attack, it seemed. Fran was there with them, having somehow knew. She was arguing with the imperials as they approached, but they didn't listen. They pushed Vaan off of Balthier and grabbed him, yanking him to his feet. Balthier's teary eyes were locked on Vaan's peaceful face. Fran touched him gently before the imperials started dragging him away. Fran knelt down beside Vaan and gently picked him up from the cold ground, watching as Balthier was taken away. Balthier couldn't feel their hands gripping his arms; everything felt numb. All he could see was Vaan…and his mind kept imagining what would have happened had he left just five minutes earlier.

Balthier sat against the wall, spinning his wedding ring on his finger. Other prisoners were looking at him curiously; they knew his face, but never believed they would see him in Nalbina. Balthier saw a slab of stone and a rock just smaller than his hand sitting beside him, and reached for them. He pressed the rock on the slab and starting writing on it. He wrote, _"Yesterday the man I love was taken from me, shot to death while he waited for me to arrive. Today I am in prison for shooting the man who killed him. Tomorrow, I will escape. I will find the man, I will hunt him down, and if he is still alive, I will shoot him again, and I will chase him as far as he can run, and I will kill him. No dungeon, imperial, airship, or city wall can save the man who killed the lover of Balthier Bunasa."_

He placed the slab back on the ground beside him, dropping the rock, and he started spinning his ring again. Noticing people were staring at him, he stood and left the area, seeking out a place where he could be alone while the prisoners curiously crawled over to his stone slab to read what he had written. Balthier eventually found a place where no one else was sitting, a dark corner where he couldn't see the other prisoners around him. He walked to the wall and sat down, closing his eyes sleepily. Suddenly, he heard something beside him and felt someone wrap their arms around his own, snuggling close. Balthier didn't open his eyes, he was too tired, and so he spoke instead.

"Listen, whoever you are, I suggest you move away before I open my eyes," he threatened. The person didn't move; they just tightened their grip. "If you think I'm kidding, you'll be dead before morning."

"It wasn't your fault."

Balthier's eyes shot open and he subconsciously jerked away from the person, pulling his arm away. It was as though a blurry film of white had been placed on his eyes; everything had a white tint.

And beside him was Vaan.

He had a white aura around him and was somewhat translucent. He was looking up at Balthier with his gray eyes, a surprised look on his face. Balthier was frozen, staring at Vaan; he wasn't sure if he was really seeing him. Vaan reached over and wrapped his arms around Balthier's waist, pulling him back and hugging him, resting his head on his shoulder. Balthier shakily wrapped his arm around Vaan's shoulders.

"Vaan…?" he asked. "But, you…"

"I don't want to leave you, yet," Vaan said. His voice had a little echo to it, as though the world around them was frozen and they were in a different world.

"I'm so sorry, Vaan," Balthier managed to say. "I wasn't there…I could have saved you."

"I already said it wasn't your fault. You didn't know."

"That doesn't matter, Vaan. He killed you and I wasn't there for you. I _could_ have saved you, it was my fault."

"Don't argue with me," Vaan said. "If it was your fault, it could have been Penelo's fault, too. She had one last thing for me to do for her before I left, but she let me leave early to go see you. It wasn't anyone's fault."

"I just can't believe you're gone," Balthier said quietly. "You were taken from me so fast…the man didn't even think about who he was killing. He could have killed an imperial, or some criminal, but he killed you…the most innocent person he could have…"

"He was angry and sad, Balthier…I don't think he knew what he was doing."

"That's what he said, too," Balthier said.

"I knew him," Vaan said. "I don't think he would kill anyone just because."

"He knew who you were and he still killed you?" Balthier exclaimed. "That bastard better be dead or I'll"—

"Stop it," Vaan said. "Please stop."

Balthier shut his mouth, thinking about what he really would do to the man if he had survived. He clenched his fist at the memory of his face, and felt tears touch his eyes with the memory of Vaan's dead body. Vaan apparently sensed his tension, and hugged him tighter. Balthier relaxed a bit and squeezed him back, wondering how much longer it would be before Vaan disappeared.

"Are you going through the oubliette again?" Vaan asked.

"Tomorrow. I'm not going to sit down here in the freezing cold. But there really isn't much back out there for me anymore, other than painful memories."

"Be careful," Vaan said. "Please."

"Only because you asked," Balthier replied. Vaan unwrapped his arms pulled his knees close, leaning against Balthier, who kept his arm wrapped around him. Vaan reached up and took Balthier's hand.

"You're cold," he said.

"We're in the dungeon. It's freezing down here," Balthier said. Vaan bent his head back onto Balthier's shoulder and their faces touched.

"Sorry I can't help," Vaan said quietly.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for."

"Don't start again."

Balthier felt his eyes try to close, exhausted. But he forced them to stay open; he couldn't sleep when Vaan was in his arms again. He might never get another chance.

"You're tired, I can tell. You should go to sleep."

"I can't. I can't go to sleep when you're right here…I'll never get to see you again."

"I'm not going anywhere yet, Balthier. I'm scared to leave without you."

"Want me to join you?" Balthier asked.

"No!" Vaan cried. "Don't!"

"Only because you said."

"Go to sleep. I'll still be here when you wake up."

"Promise to stay, at least until I'm asleep."

"I promise. Now just go to sleep already."

It wasn't very long before Balthier drifted off into sleep. He could still see Vaan, even though he knew he had fallen asleep.

Vaan smiled and looked at him; Balthier knew what he was seeing. He wasn't looking at the same Vaan. He was dreaming.

_Balthier looked at Vaan as he reached up, pulling the small envelope off of the floating crystal. He looked at Balthier, who gestured for him to open it. He opened it and pulled out a small card with Balthier's writing on it. He read it; it was a love note. Feeling something else in the envelope, he tipped it over his hand. A silver ring landed in his hand. He looked up at Balthier with a surprised look on his face. Balthier had knelt while he wasn't looking, and was looking up at him. Vaan smiled and Balthier stood up. Vaan walked over and hugged him tightly, holding the ring in his hand. Once Vaan released him, Balthier took the ring and held his hand, sliding it onto his ring finger gently as he leaned forward and kissed him. "I love you," he murmured._

"_I love you, too," Vaan replied, hugging him again._

"_What is it, Balthier?" Vaan asked as Balthier pulled him by the hand. He was blindfolded and couldn't see anything, not even a little out the bottom. Fran had made sure to tie it over his eyes just right so he couldn't see anything._

"_It's a…" Balthier started. Vaan waited eagerly. "Surprise."_

_Vaan sighed. After a little more walking, Balthier helped Vaan down a few stairs, and then stopped. _

"_Okay," he said. He reached behind Vaan's head and untied the blindfold. He leaned forward so their faces were almost touching. "I worked hard to get her for you, so take care of her."_

_He stepped to the side and Vaan gasped. Before him in the hangar was an airship with _The Ratsbane _painted on the side. Vaan just stared at it, his mouth open in surprise. "Happy birthday, Vaan."_

_Vaan turned to Balthier and hugged him tightly, laughing a bit. Smiling, Balthier hugged back._

_And suddenly, Vaan was ripped from Balthier's arms. _

"_Balthier!" he cried, a pair of arms dragging him away. Balthier gasped and jumped for him, but was knocked aside. Balthier looked up…the blond man was holding the struggling Vaan tightly, smiling evilly._

"_You couldn't save him," he said, his eyes glowing red. "You didn't care enough to leave on time."_

"_No," Balthier said._

"_He died because of you. Its your fault!" he shouted. Balthier grabbed his head and squeezed his eyes shut._

"_Balthier?" Vaan asked. He opened his eyes and looked up at him as he struggled in the man's arms. "Why aren't you helping me? Why weren't you there when I need you the most?"_

"_Vaan, I"—_

"_Please help me, Balthier!"_

_Balthier jumped up to attack the man, but before he could take even a step forward, blood was splattered across his face. Vaan dropped to the ground bleeding, and the man, holding a smoking gun, laughed maniacally. Vaan, still alive, looked at Balthier, trying to reach for him._

"_Why didn't you save me?" he asked quietly. "Didn't you love me?"_

"_More than anything, Vaan!" Balthier cried._

"_He's dead, he's dead, apologies mean nothing," the man said, darkness leaking forth from his body. _

_Balthier blinked, and the bloody Vaan was standing in front of him, looking up at him. He reached up and touched his face with his blood-covered hand, a tear sliding down his cheek. He was pulled away by the darkness, consumed completely. Two red eyes glowed in the darkness, staring right into Balthier's. Balthier backed away from the glowing cloud of black. The darkness lurched forward, reaching out for him. He backed away and stepped into a liquid. Looking down, he was standing in a growing pool of blood._

"_You were too late," the man said from the darkness. "Too late…too late…Kill yourself! Do it! You don't deserve life!"_

_Balthier stared down at the blood around his feet, his breathing uneven and shaky. The darkness came closer and Balthier's body moved before his mind, moving away from the black and deeper into the blood. A gunshot rang through the air, and then another and another, until all Balthier heard was constant shooting. He covered his ears and tried to block it out, stumbling backward and falling into the blood. He found the surface and took a deep breath, wiping away the blood from his eyes. Before him, surrounded by darkness, Vaan was standing. He reached out for Balthier, a sad look on his face._

"_Balthier."_

_One final gunshot rang through the air, and blood started to leak from Vaan's chest. Balthier squeezed his eyes shut and screamed._

"Vaan!" Balthier screamed as he shot up. He looked down at himself, rubbing his face and chest. Realizing there was no blood, no darkness, he took a deep shaky breath as a tear slid down his chest. He couldn't live with this guilt.

He reached for his ring finger, but his wedding ring wasn't there. He looked all around for it, and saw another prisoner trying to sneak away. Balthier sprang to his feet and was beside the man in a flash. He punched him down and kicked him, reached down and ripping his ring from the man's hand. He put it back on his own finger and walked away, looking down at it. He sat back down against the wall while the man ran away in a panic. The nightmare kept overtaking his vision. Balthier started to cry, and squeezed his eyes shut, but the nightmare was there, too.

He opened his eyes and looked around for Vaan, but he wasn't there. He had said he would be there when he woke up, but he wasn't. Maybe Balthier had fallen asleep once he closed his eyes, and seeing Vaan was all a dream.

A gunshot rang through the air and Balthier jumped, but then realized he had imagined it. He looked around frantically and heard the distant laughter of the blond man, and started shaking.

"_Your fault!"_

Balthier opened his mouth and let out a scream so loud it made his ears pop. Once he was out of air, he stopped, breathing shakily once more. Several prisoners peeked their heads around the corner. Balthier looked away, and saw two red eyes staring at him from the dark corner. He gasped and jumped to his feet, running from where he had been. Going by his memory of the last time he had been in Nalbina, he ran through the dungeon to where the oubliette was.

Balthier walked up the last of the steps and into the city. The people of Rabanastre were going about their daily lives, smiling and laughing and completely unaware of the events that had taken place two days before, it seemed. A few of them looked at him and waved like nice people, but Balthier just kept walking. Surely enough, Fran appeared quickly to greet him. She always had a skill of knowing where he was. She ran over to him.

"You escaped faster than I thought you would," she said.

"I couldn't stay down there," Balthier said, not meeting her eyes. "I had a nightmare. After that, I kept thinking I saw the blond man down there with me."

"You very well might have," Fran said. Balthier finally met his eyes.

"What?" Balthier asked, a little flicker of fury threatening to ignite his anger all over again.

"I'm sorry, Balthier. I would have taken care of it myself, but I couldn't find him."

"He's alive?" he exclaimed angrily. He took a deep breath and turned away from her. "He won't be for much longer."

"Balthier…"

"Where did you take him?" Balthier asked after a few seconds of keeping his breathing steady.

"I don't know where he went, I just said"—

"No, not him," Balthier interrupted. Fran waited a moment to reply, realizing what he was talking about.

"Penelo and I buried him in the Rabanastre Cemetery yesterday. I thought it would hurt you to have to do it yourself."

"Where in the cemetery?" Balthier asked.

"Beside his brother."

Balthier nodded and didn't say any more. Fran stood beside him for a moment more before looking back to him. "There's a problem with the Strahl's engine. I'll go and fix it. Take as much time as you need."

She gently touched his shoulder before walking away. Before Balthier could do anything, two small children walked over to him, a boy and girl, and the boy was holding a box.

"'Scuse me, sir, but could you please open this for us?" he asked, holding down the box. Balthier glanced down and shook his head.

"No…ask someone else," he said, turning and starting to walk. He didn't make it very far, only a few feet. He sat down on the bench with his back to the children. He could still hear them talking behind him.

"You will?" he heard the boy asked. Someone must have offered to open it. After a few more seconds the boy spoke again. "Thanks, Vaan!"

Balthier turned around so fast he almost fell off the bench. He only caught a glimpse of a glowing figure disappearing, and then watched as the children skipped away happily, holding whatever had been in their box. He stared where he had seen Vaan, waiting to see if he would reappear. Then suddenly, someone took his arm again. He quickly looked, and Vaan was sitting beside him, watching the people around them go about their lives. Balthier just stared.

"Vaan," he said after a moment. Vaan looked up at him.

"Did you think I left?" he asked, his voice still echoing.

"They can see you, too?" Balthier asked.

"When I want them to," he replied. He squeezed Balthier's arm tighter and pushed himself closer. "I can't stay forever."

Balthier didn't know how to reply to the statement. After a moment, he thought of something. "Vaan?"

"Hm?"

"What was the man's name?" he asked. Vaan looked up at him.

"Basch," he replied. Balthier nodded and looked away.

"I had a nightmare last night," he said.

"About what?"

"You dying, what else?" Balthier replied.

"Wanna talk about it?" Vaan asked. Balthier shook his head, trying not to remember the dream. But he started replaying it in his mind anyway. When he could stop it, he took Vaan's hand and squeezed it. Vaan squeezed back and the nightmare seemed to disappear. Balthier took a slow, deep breath.

"I have something I have to do," Balthier said. Vaan looked back up at him again. "I'm not gonna be able to relax until I do it."

"What?" Vaan asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Well…Don't really know, yet. But I'll find something. Do you know when you have to leave?" Balthier hated to think about never being able to see Vaan again, even if it was just a ghost.

"Whenever I'm ready," Vaan replied.

"How ready are you?"

"Not ready enough." Vaan sat up and kissed Balthier's cheek, and then disappeared into the air, leaving behind some of his sparkles. Balthier felt an emptiness overtake him as soon as he was gone. He sat for a second, then stood up and started walking. He knew what to do now. He had just lied to Vaan.

Basch. He knew his name.

Basch fon Ronsenburg wasn't going to be alive much longer.

Basch stepped into the tavern and walked to a table, sitting down. He buried his face in his hands, sighing. The scene kept replaying in his mind over and over…standing over the body on the bridge with the gun in his hand. He couldn't remember anything before that. He remembered what the man said…he would be back for him.

Surely he had found out he was alive by now. Basch had been expecting to see the man walk through the door every moment of both days after what happened. He was just waiting for his death. But he didn't have a problem with that; he couldn't believe he had killed someone innocent.

And what made it worse was he knew who the boy was. Vaan, the orphan who had been helping other orphans make it for years. What would happen to those other orphans now that he was gone? And it was his fault.

Basch wasn't sure if he could handle it.

He had been hated for murder once…but the murder wasn't his. He hadn't killed the king. But this time he couldn't blame it on Noah. This time it _was_ him. And he knew that once the people who loved Vaan started finding out who did it, they'd never let him forget.

He felt someone brush his arm. It sent a funny tingle across his body in a wave. He opened his eyes and looked to see who it had been, and caught a glimpse of something glowing and sparkling white as it turned around a corner. Basch curiously stood and walked after it. When he turned the corner, he froze and stopped breathing. Standing beside the door was Vaan…but Vaan was dead.

Vaan met his eyes and walked out the door, glancing back once. Basch, in a daze, followed him out the door and a few steps from the tavern before stopping, looking around for the ghost. But he couldn't find it.

And then from the corner of his eyes, he saw it. He looked, and Vaan was standing beside him. The world around them suddenly seemed brighter, as though Vaan's presence was sending a glow around the whole area. Vaan didn't look at him, he just stared ahead, watching people walk by.

"You…" Basch managed to say. Vaan finally looked up at him, but still didn't speak. He took a few steps forward and stopped.

"Nice to see you again, too, Basch," he said, his voice echoing slightly. Basch tried to keep his breathing steady, but was having a tough time. He finally stepped forward to stand beside Vaan.

"Our paths keep crossing, yours and mine," he said.

"They won't anymore," Vaan replied quietly. Basch waited for a moment to speak again, looking away.

"…I'm sorry," he said. Vaan smiled at him.

"It's okay," he said. Basch looked back, a surprised look on his face. He's forgiving him that easy?

"I don't know what happened to me…I don't remember anything up until after I had…already killed you."

"I know," Vaan said. "That's why I'm forgiving you. But…I might not be the only one you have to apologize to."

"That man? He'll kill me the moment he sees me."

"I could help you," Vaan suggested. Basch thought about it. "He'll be on the bridge tonight. If you show up, I'll help you. But if you don't, I can't help you again. And I can't guarantee I'll be able to stop him when he comes for you."

"I know," Basch said, thinking about what the man would do to him as soon as he found him. But if Vaan was there, maybe he would at least give him the time to apologize before killing him. He thought about Vaan's offer for a moment, and then nodded. "I'll be there."

But Vaan was already gone.

Balthier walked through the gate and onto the bridge, a wave of sadness coming over him. There was a blood stain on the stone where Vaan had been killed. He walked to it and knelt beside it, lightly touching it.

And then suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. He looked over his shoulder, and saw blond hair…

Balthier shot up straight like a bullet and turned toward him. Basch stopped in his tracks and watched as Balthier started toward him, his eyes on fire. But suddenly, he stopped, his eyes locking on something to the side. Basch looked but couldn't see anything. And then when he blinked, the world glowed white again and Vaan was there, standing off to the side of the bridge, staring right at Balthier.

"Vaan?" Balthier asked. "I won't be able to sleep ever again as long as he is alive."

"Please just listen to him!" Vaan said.

"But he _killed you_, Vaan! You really think I'm just gonna let him waltz off like nothing happened?" Balthier shouted. Balthier started toward Basch again, but Vaan stepped in front of him, putting both hands firmly on Balthier's chest and stopping him. Balthier looked at him, a tear running down his cheek. Vaan wiped it off and hugged him. Balthier hugged back, but his eyes were locked on Basch.

Basch swallowed and saw his opportunity.

"The night I killed Vaan, I don't know what happened to me," he started, "and I don't remember anything from earlier that night until after he was dead. Someone did something to me and I couldn't control myself. I have to say I'm sorry…or _I_ won't be able to sleep ever again, knowing what I did."

Balthier's rage just seemed to increase.

"Vaan forgave me…I just want you to know that I'm sorry. It wasn't _me_ that night."

Balthier tried to go at Basch, but Vaan tightened his arms around Balthier, and Balthier found he couldn't move.

"Why the hell should I believe you?" he shouted angrily. "How do I know you're not making it all up because you're just scared to face the truth and face the reality of revenge!"

"He isn't lying, Balthier, please forgive him," Vaan said quietly. Balthier looked down at him.

"Forgive him? How could I _ever_ forgive him?" Balthier shouted. "He took you away from me!"

"Please, Balthier, listen to me," Vaan said. "I'll never ask for anything again. This is the last thing I'll ever ask you to do."

"But"—

"Please, for me?" Vaan interrupted. Balthier wanted to argue back…but couldn't.

"Only…because you asked," he struggled to say. Vaan looked up and kissed him, pulling away and disappearing back into the air in a cloud of sparkles. Balthier stared at Basch with hate in his eyes, and Basch had a sad look on his face.

He wanted so badly to run over and rip his head off.

But he couldn't. He just couldn't.

There was one thing he wanted more: to make Vaan happy.

Basch readied himself for the worst, staring back at Balthier. The contest went on for a moment, but to his surprise, Balthier slowly turned and started to walk away, his fists clenched. Basch let out a quiet sigh.

"This is a one time thing," Balthier called over his shoulder. "If we cross paths again, you won't be walking away."

"I understand. I'll steer clear," Basch called back. "Again, I'm sorry."

"You're sorry, my ass. You're just lucky he was on your side."

Balthier disappeared through the gate and out of sight. Basch looked down at the blood stain on the stone, and felt sad. He turned, and walked away.

"Balthier," Vaan said, appearing again beside Balthier as he walked. He stopped and looked at him.

"What is it?" Balthier asked quietly. Vaan took his hand.

"I…I have to go, now," he said. Balthier's eyes widened and he grabbed both of Vaan's hands.

"What?" he cried. "No!"

"I'm sorry, I don't get to choose," Vaan replied. Balthier grabbed Vaan in a hug.

"I'm not ready to be without you, yet," he cried. "Why can't you choose?"

"My brother has been bugging me," Vaan said. "He showed up not too long ago. He says he'll drag me if I don't go tonight."

Balthier let his tears fall, hugging Vaan tightly. He looked up when a small airship, partially translucent, silently hovered down onto the street beside them. The door opened and a young man who had the same hair and similar facial features as Vaan stepped out. It was Vaan's airship.

"Vaan!" he exclaimed. "It's time to go, now! Mom and dad are waiting."

"Just a little longer!" Vaan said, glancing at him.

"Vaan, I just can't," Balthier whispered. Vaan looked up at him. "I can't go another fifty years without you. I just can't."

Vaan knew what he was getting at. "Please, don't."

"I let Basch live. I was careful escaping the dungeon. I can't spoil you with everything. I just can't live without you."

Suddenly Reks was standing beside Vaan, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Vaan," he said. He gently pulled Vaan away from Balthier and turned him around. Reks watched as Balthier pulled his gun out, putting it against his head.

Vaan jumped at the gunshot and Reks grabbed his arms to stop him from turning and looking. After a few seconds, Vaan felt someone wrap their arms around him. Reks finally released him and he turned to look. Balthier was there, a spirit now like him. When Vaan started to look down, Balthier put his hands on his face and stopped him, shaking his head.

"You don't need to see."

Vaan shoved Balthier and looked at him. "You're stupid. Why did you do that?"

"I told you, I can't live without you. I won't live without you."

Vaan sighed and stepped forward, hugging Balthier. They both looked as Basch ran around the corner, gasping at the sight. But he didn't seem to be able to see Balthier, Vaan, or Reks. He covered his mouth a walked away, disappearing from sight once again. Vaan and Balthier looked at each other.

"Bet he wasn't expecting that," Balthier commented.

"Hey lovebirds!" Reks called, partially up the steps into the airship. "Are we going, or do I have to drag you, after all?"

Vaan took Balthier's hand and led him to and onto the ship. He sat down at the controls as the pilot while Balthier took co-pilot. Reks stood behind Vaan's chair.

"Where to?" Vaan asked.

"Home," Reks replied.

Vaan smiled and nodded and started up the ship. They lifted off the ground and took off. Balthier watched Rabanastre get smaller and smaller as they flew higher into the sky. Then he realized, Vaan was looking at him. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Balthier replied, reaching over and taking one of Vaan's hands. Reks gagged behind them and Vaan shot him a look, but Reks just laughed.

They all looked up as a bright light illuminated the ship. And soon, they passed through it.

Vaan and Balthier had never seen a world more beautiful.


End file.
